Tag Archives: management

The “A” Game Chronicles – Discover and deliver it

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Keeping_Up_C
How often have you heard someone say or someone is told to bring their “A” Game to the competition? They don’t say bring a game, but the capitalized “A” game. I wonder if people know what their “A” Game looks like. How often have they seen it? Would they recognize it when they saw it? I wonder if they have ever challenged themselves at such a high level that it brought out their “A” game. Then they would know what it looked like and could therefore, duplicate it upon demand. They are told to get an “A” for effort, but you need the results to back it up

Their “A” game is heavily in demand. “A” is for action or “A” is for achievement. “A” is for the highest performance. I knew managers who were never rated at the top performance tier within their organization. Yet many of these managers would distribute these ratings without hesitation. My questions were always two fold. First, “How could you?” and secondly, “Do you know what awesome looks like, since you never received the rating? The same applies to someone’s “A” Game. Do you know what it looks like and does a manager know when it has arrived and how to bring it out in the open? An accumulation of “A” games should lead to the highest performance ranking and rating within the group.

There are apparently different standards for an “A” game. I suppose it is in the eye of the beholder. What measuring device are you using for an “A” game? Your “A” Game could be a function of the following:

• Attitude – your disposition spells confidence and could cause your best performance to explode out of your potential.
• Awareness refers to self – awareness, for you are in touch with your physical and mental capabilities. Your emotional intelligence (EQ) involves knowledge of people and relationships. When combined with competitive knowledge and personal or self knowledge you create a climate for your “A” game to develop.
• Aptitude – (IQ) – intelligence referring to mental skill and thinking enhances by hours of hard work, reading and analyzing your performance and expectations.
• Alignment – consistent with goals
• Achievement focused
• Action oriented – execution, passion and initiative

What the “A” Game is not – pseudo “A” Game or false positive

• Avoidance – hiding from your best performance and abdicating to other work you should perform yourself
• Absent – missing and engaged in inaction when you are expected on the job. When people are depending on you.
• Awkward – uncoordinated, undisciplined due to a lack of practice and poor technique.
• Average – In the same level as others. Your “A” game should be a moving target. The best you have today should be better than yesterday and below the high bar, you have established for tomorrow. This gives you something to aspire to within the range of your potential.

In delivering your “A” Game on a bad day you may be slightly short and deliver an “A-“Game, which is an A minus Game. But this is a whole lot better than a negative “A” Game. For this is the polar opposite to your best performance. This is essentially an “F” Game which is not acceptable.

Everyone brings a game to the arena, but you should make sure that it is your “A” game; an awesome effort that leads to an astonishing performance.

Copyright © 2011 Orlando Ceaser

6 Ways to Cope with Irreconcilable Differences at Work

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There are relationships where both parties decide that it is pointless to continue. They do not and probably will not ever understand each other. They are constantly in a state of disagreement whether verbalized or not. Some type of discontinuance, whether separation or divorce is contemplated to dissolve their partnership. They have reached the boiling point of irreconcilable differences.

There are similar circumstances on the job. There is a cold, but cordial work environment. The job may even be hostile, intimidating and dead end without opportunities for advancement. People cannot get along with their coworkers or their supervisor. The tension in the air becomes unbearable but resignation is out of the question. Quitting for a variety of reasons would not be in their best interests. The economy is treacherous and finding a new job is risky. They have a family to feed and financial obligations.

Let’s bring the situation closer to home and make it more relevant. Your manager may be a jerk. She is making life unbearable. She cannot get rid of you because you are doing your job and have not broken any laws. She would rather have her person working in your position. She cannot remove you for fear of a lawsuit.
Additionally, you may have a skill set that the organization values and the manager cannot afford to get rid of you, but you no longer find the job challenging. You want to be promoted to another position, but they cannot see you doing any job other than your current assignment. You are stuck in corporate cement as opposed to career quick sand.
You are at an impasse. You can’t live with her and you can’t live without her. You have to cope with irreconcilable differences.

A manager for a small company inherited an employee who was a powerful, persuasive salesperson, but ultimately could be a liability to the organization. Management loved this individual and viewed him as a sales representative for life. However, the sales person had aspirations to be promoted. The more he was held to corporate standards, the more frustrated he became. One day in frustration, he stood up in a restaurant, pointed his finger at his boss and said these words; “I understand that you don’t like me and have never liked. If it was up to you I would’ve never been hired. If we can’t get along, we might as well get it on” (a reference to physical confrontation). The rep was at his wits end and surely felt he was coping with irreconcilable differences.

How do you cope with irreconcilable differences, when you cannot walk away from the job? What do you do when you have no place to go and are unable to leave your position? You must first acknowledge that the situation is toxic. A negative state of mind could damage your health and other areas of your life. Conduct an accurate assessment of your performance and career aspirations. Recognize that you may have played a small role in the bad relationship. The six tactics below may help you cope with irreconcilable differences at work. You may wish to debate these suggestions with co-workers and friends in order to arrive at a strategy that will work for you.

1. Make the most of the situation
2. Work hard and try to get transferred?
3. Work hard and try to get your boss transferred?
4. Seek counseling through the Human Resources Department
5. Recruit advocates – mentors, coaches or allies
6. Schedule a meeting with your boss

Make the most of the situation

This is generally seen as a grin and bears it approach. This does not necessarily mean for you to suffer in silence. You may look on the brighter side of things, such as being grateful that you have a job. You may display a positive attitude and devote yourself to the quality and quantity of work needed to excel. Through this entire process you must throw yourself into doing your best work, although you may not be fully engaged.

Beware of persistent anger. If you are constantly angry, you may develop ulcers, headaches and an overall feeling of grumpiness at work and at home. People around you will suffer with you; work performance will be stunted by your low level of engagement, because you are not happy. You can be patient and tolerate your plight. Your boss may leave the department through resignation, termination or promotion.

Work hard and try to get transferred

People have been known to put their nose and shoulder to the grindstone in hopes of working their way out of their circumstances. The prevailing philosophy is to work as hard as you can and be rewarded for your diligence and discipline. This strategy can work, unless your manager is working to undermine and missed represent your effectiveness. You can be driven to succeed, even in a toxic environment when you are growing your skills and working toward a goal.

Another manager, through networking with other departments, may request your services. They may become aware of new skills you required. Obtaining additional education and training may work in your favor and increase your value in the eyes of others.

Work hard and try to get your boss transferred

The same methods used above may catapult your manager into a new position. You may breathe a sigh of relief, but if the underlying problems have not been solved, this individual can harm your career aspirations from a distance. If there are misunderstandings that need to be addressed, you may have to face them courageously alone or have a trusted mentor intercede on your behalf. It may seem insincere, but you may have to act as if things are not as bad as they are, in order to survive. You may have to use your acting skills to minimize friction and give the illusion of a harmonious working relationship.

Seek counseling through Human Resources

Many people are reluctant to go to the Human Resources Department to complain about their manager or the environment on their team. They fear HR is working as the right arm of leadership and will sabotage their employment. Some companies have an Ombudsman who is present to hear employee complaints, which makes disclosure easier. If individual courage is viewed as foolhardy, the power of a group may be necessary to add additional credibility to your complaints. This is often the last resort when the person feels they cannot take it any longer; when the benefit outweighs the risks.

You have heard manager say,” you don’t have to like me or love me, but you must get the job done.” The same applies. Your manager or coworkers do not have to like you or love you but they must respect you, as you get the job done.

Recruit advocates – mentors, coaches or allies

You may have a mentor, coach or ally on speed dial or retainer to help you plan your strategy for coping with a manager who is out of control. They can advise you on the next steps take in dealing with your predicament. If the manager goes beyond acceptable rules and regulations, they can advise you on the approach to HR. They may also be helpful in calming you down and allowing you to see your role in any of the difficulties. It is always good to have consultants to bounce ideas off of to learn from their seasoned perspective.
You may have a trusted friend in higher places who can hear your tales of woe and help craft a strategy to make your life easier. They may talk to the guilty offending party or help you get reassigned.

Schedule a meeting with your boss

You can call a meeting to discuss your feelings and job performance. This will enable you to clear the air of all misunderstandings, so that your boss knows how you feel. Ask for their assistance in helping you achieve your goals for the betterment of the organization. Solicit feedback on the things you can do better to help them in their job.

If you try this approach before and it did not work, be careful. If you heard others try the same tactic and suffered, scratch this suggestion from your list.
A good leader would take your information and check the perceptions of others in your group. The appropriate corrective actions will strengthen the leader’s ability to achieve personal and team objectives.

It is important to strengthen the relationships with people at work. Invariably, difficult relationships will exist in the workplace. You may have to address the problem head-on, because walking away may not be an option. As uncomfortable as it may seem, coping with irreconcilable differences may be the only course of action.

Copyright © 2014 Orlando Ceaser

Aha moments of a different kind

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The Aha moment is that period of enlightenment when you realize a profound truth. The Miriam Webster dictionary defines it as, “a moment of sudden realization, inspiration, insight, recognition or comprehension.” The concept is everywhere, ubiquitous if you will. Business conversations around the water cooler, comments made in meetings, and words printed in business literature and popular magazines focus on the aha moment.

Today’s aha moment is only one interpretation of the word that I encountered when I was growing up in the city of Chicago, Illinois. My first perception of the aha moment was not the classic definition around a moment of illumination. I was not trying to solve a problem and the solution eluded me and then out of the clear blue sky, presto! The answer appeared.

I would like to talk to you about aha moments of a different kind. Aha moments in my early days could have easily referred to the word that was shouted at me whenever I was caught. Someone jumped out of the bushes and screamed aha with the emphasis on the second syllable. It was a gotcha moment. I was busted, found out. It was a sound of discovery. My friends had cornered me in a game of hide and seek. I can hear him saying I got you.” I guess you can say my aha moment meant that I was discovered. I did not have a personal revelation, I was the personal revelation. I was the object of a surprise attack and my assailant screamed loudly to punctuate their victory.

In the first aha moment we discussed, equal weight was given to each of the syllables. The second aha moment had a greater accent on the second syllable. I am proposing a third aha moment where the stress is on the first syllable. This is the aha that was used when people laughed at me or ridiculed me. I can still hear the strident sound on the first syllable as they yelled out, “aha!” I heard this mocking sound several times during my childhood. Many times I was the new kid on the block and there was always something about me that caused others to laugh. Additionally, I remember low levels of disrespect occurring early in my college days. Whenever someone wanted to make fun of me, I would experience one of those aha moments which did not elicit fond memories.

There may be value in the three interpretations of the aha moment. In the classic sense, when did you encounter enlightenment and insight when searching for a solution to your problems? If you are constantly focused on your problems and screening potential solutions, you may have the Eureka moment and scream aha!

Secondly, you may recall the times you were caught performing a positive or negative activity. You may successfully devise a strategy to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Strategic planning of this nature can ensure that you stay far ahead of the competition and your adversaries.

Thirdly, you may remember when you were intimidated by those in control who wanted to stifle your influence. This awareness of competitors will keep you on your toes and cognizant of those who want to replace you or thwart your efforts. This awareness can lead to the appropriate counter response to gain credibility and respect.

In our age of seeking clarity in our communications, it is always critical that we are on the same page with the same interpretation of words, concepts and strategies. When we say an aha moment, we have to make sure that people have the same understanding to match our intentions. I know, in most instances, people are generally speaking of an aha moment as filled with profound insight and inspiration. However, in the back of our minds, we may find value in thinking about aha moments of a different kind.

Copyright © 2014 Orlando Ceaser

Success despite Misfortune tellers and Prophets of doom

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You may not have experienced this personally, but you have heard people say they lack confidence because people verbally doubted their ability. Their abilities and value were challenged at an early age. They would never accomplish something. When they were older, they were told they were not qualified to do something or lacked the capacity or skill to achieve an objective. Their failure would be due to their socio-economic status, background, gender, race, culture, appearance or interests. These individuals were devastated and believed the negative remarks, hook line and sinker.

You may share my curiosity about people who go out of their way to predict a negative future about someone. They will not hesitate to tell a person that they will never earn a college degree, get into a particular college or program, and achieve a dream or a job, because of a limited vision of an individual’s potential. These misfortune tellers will frequently volunteer their assessment of a friends potential, as if it was a foregone conclusion. People are told that they will never be a leader, were not bright enough, tall enough, thin enough or good-looking enough to make it in this world.

Lack-of-Vision

I walked into a room of new district managers after a merger. I was struck by the number of individuals present who were never supposed to be promoted. They wore the label of being unfit for management from their previous organization. Hell was to freeze over before some of them became managers. I looked around the room and arrived at the conclusion that the weather forecast for hell called for an ice storm of momentous proportions.

We look at these negative prognosticators, misfortune tellers, prophets of doom and dream killers, and wonder;

• Are they clairvoyant, bona fide, certified Palm readers?
• What is their success rate or track record of predicting events?
• Are they famous because of their success with the lottery, betting on horses or investing in the stock market?
• Do they have the best grades in school?
• Are they the highest performers on the job?
• Are they independently wealthy because of their ability to select winners?

The absence of such data, should disqualify people from seeing into your future and making judgments on what you can or will not be able to do. Why should we listen to these questionable, nonsensical projections without proof of their credibility? We seldom subject people to this kind of questioning. We take their word and grant them the influence to affect our lives. I wonder how they would answer these questions. A

Personal achievement and productivity in many segments of our lives are influenced by what people have said about us. The words of misfortune tellers have stunted the professional and personal growth of countless individuals. The words are devastating, but we give them added power by believing the words must be true. This belief increases the predictive power of words uttered by people who are mean-spirited enough to attack our dreams without offering any constructive criticism to help us grow. Their motives should disqualify them for conflict of interest. It may not be that they believed we would, but they wanted us to fail. Somehow our success might make them look bad, as they take it personally.

We have to be careful around misfortune tellers, prophets of doom and dream killers. Words have power and should not be used to predict a negative future unless they are used to instruct someone in a positive manner. Granted, some people may have unrealistic expectations of their potential and you may feel it necessary to bring them down to reality. This can be accomplished in a positive manner by directing them to an area where you feel their strengths are more appropriate. This of course should be done if you have the right experience, skills and credentials. If you don’t feel someone can do something and it’s just your opinion, you must evaluate the reason for bursting their balloon. You may need to show wisdom by being silent and keeping your opinions to yourself.

The prophets of doom, live in the world of the worst case scenarios. They can be destructive if they only and always paint a picture of the worst case happening to you. Frequently, they point to personal characteristic or circumstance that you cannot overcome. They can depress you and cause you to give up trying, if they consistently fill your head with negative expectations.

The following chart should be helpful when faced with naysayers who are running around with sharp objects, leaping in the air to burst your balloons. The balloons represent your goals, dreams, positive intentions and lofty expectations.

canbelieve
If people say you can’t do something and you believe them, chances are you will prove them right. You will be discouraged and doubt your ability to go against their predictions. You give them the ability to influence personal perceptions and actions.

If someone says you can’t do something and you do not believe them, you will do everything within your power to prove them wrong. Their perception of you will drive you to higher levels of performance. You ask yourself, what gives them the right to say that about you, they don’t know you. You will show them how wrong they are about you.

If someone says you can do something and their belief is consistent with your perception, you will work in concert with their expectations. Your performance will more than likely be inspired, as you validate your personal convictions.

However, if someone says you can do something and you do not believe them, the result would be as if they said you couldn’t do it. Your lack of confidence and weak belief in yourself would undermine your success. There are instances when someone’s belief in you is greater than your belief in yourself. If they are persistent, you may eventually see what they see in you. It is important for you to keep an open mind and consider them a good judge of character. It is very difficult to achieve something if you do not believe it is possible. If you cannot see yourself performing in a certain role, it is difficult to achieve it or succeed in it.

Your belief system is a central part of performing to meet your expectations. There may be instances where outside forces will try to derail your progress, but a healthy self image, positive encouragement from others and a persistent drive to excel, will work to your advantage. In a competitive world where misfortune tellers, prophets of doom and dream killers work to stifle your achievement, you must be vigilant in growing skills, protecting and projecting confidence in your abilities.

Copyright © 2014 Orlando Ceaser

Strong Leaders: Strong Enough for Their Teams

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Strong enough could mean having sufficient energy, capacity and emotional and intellectual fortitude to challenge the status quo, as you look into the future with strategic vision. Strong enough for your team could mean you can be counted on to flex your leadership muscles to protect your team and get the most out of them. Strong enough for your team could describe the charisma and the tenacity exhibited as you demand the performance and execution required for success.

Boot camp for the military and training camp for athletic teams are conducted to ensure their members are mentally and physically fit; that they are strong enough to compete in battle or competition. We need a managerial or leadership equivalent of these events to ensure managers are strong enough for their teams. Are they strong enough to lead? Do they have what it takes to deliver what is required by their team to help them function at their highest level of performance? Are the managers the catalyst to continuously develop teams to deliver world class results?

Performance evaluation

Strong enough for their team is apparent during performance evaluations. Companies encourage employees to provide input which is included in the final written document. This input gives the manager insight into how workers see their performance. If the employee is candid, they outline their strengths and weaknesses, as they perform to reach or exceed their goals. The final document should be largely constructed using a perspective gathered from the boss’s observations. Otherwise, the employee will question the strength of their leader. Also, some people have an inaccurate view of their performance and strength is needed to deliver an unpopular message.

Organizations are concerned about inconsistencies in managerial judgment across their management teams. They want to guard against some managers being easier on their people than other managers. People have been known to receive an excellent rating from one manager which would not be excellent in the eyes of another manager. This disparity leads to some people being rated higher than they deserve. Organizations try to minimize this problem by a process known as calibration. These organizations have meetings with their managers and discuss their team and individual team members. Members of their peer management group will have an opportunity to question, challenge and give input into the performance of people on other teams. Each manager’s interpretation of their team performance is open for discussion and sometimes, a heated debate. Calibration is often a competitive event and the manager who is strong enough derives the appropriate benefits and impressions for his team.

A strong enough manager is required to competently represent their team in these calibration meetings; otherwise their team will suffer when challenges are made. These challenges have performance rating and financial implications. A manager who is strong enough supports their assessments with a strong written evaluation. They also have strong verbal communication skills to state their case and fend off any challenges. Timidity and poor verbal skills may stifle the growth of individual team members if the manager’s peers do not gain an accurate assessment of their abilities.

Additionally, managers also convene to discuss the talented individuals on their team in the succession planning meetings. These meetings are held to evaluate talent to fill vacancies and to ensure they have qualified candidates for promotions to build a pipeline of talent for the future. A manager must be strong enough with their communication and analytical skills to state a solid case for their top talent.

Strong enough to challenge

Managers have to be strong enough to stand up to their people for their own development; to ensure that they are giving their best efforts. They must be tough enough to make the hard calls and replace individuals who are a poor fit for the job and the organization. I heard one manager say, in frustration,” I should have fired him 15 years ago.” He was lamenting the fact that the current leadership would not be wrestling with this problem person if he had done his job many years earlier.

An employee from a major airline was distraught when they discovered that their manager was not strong enough for them during a major restructuring campaign. The team was decimated and many individuals were cut from the organization. A manager, who was strong enough, may not have prevented everyone from receiving a negative verdict, but the people would have received a fair trial.

A creative director was frustrated every time senior leadership disagreed with her when she pitched a new proposal. Her boss was always present and frequently left her on her own to defend her project. She knew she had his support outside of the meeting, but wanted him to come to her assistance when she was under fire. If he had been strong enough for his team, even though her programs were denied, she would’ve been motivated, knowing that he was in there fighting along with her.

Managers who are too strong

Some managers have a bully personality and are disliked and not trusted by their peers. Their reputation could work against anyone associated with them. These managers are viewed as tyrants and suffer from being too strong or too forceful in their business relationships. They make a lot of enemies and sometimes revenge is taken against anyone they support, especially anyone seen as their protégé.

Some managers are viewed as difficult to work with by outsiders. When asked about his leadership style, the employees gave favorable comments. The manager gave them exactly what they needed. He was matching toughness with the needs of his team. They said he was fair, disciplined and had their best interests at heart. The secret was to apply the right amount of strength to the right situation.

The objective of the strong leader is to be strong enough to be effective in every dimension of their job, to achieve the best results.

Copyright © 2014 Orlando Ceaser

A leader should stand by, with and for their team

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Stand by your team

A manager felt his people would go through a brick wall for him. He based this on their belief that he would do anything for them. They knew he had their backs. This dedication and loyalty led to higher sales results and productivity. He created a culture of excellence, enthusiasm and trust.

The manager was known to stand by his team. When they are in need of guidance and resources to compete in difficult situations, he was known to stand by them. In today’s marketplace, there is a fair amount of angst about the future and employees role in it. Standing by your team allows you to detect any anxiety and address it with encouragement and skill development.
You can quickly squash rumors that are not true, before they become a morale problem. Immediately provide whatever information you can, within your leadership obligations, to ensure they are focused on the things they can control.

If the team misses the mark and fall short of achieving a goal, they are not thrown under the bus. They are held accountable, but you as their leader, takes them through a rational analysis of what went wrong. You are on the front line developing strategy and corrective measures. Your aim is to exceed the goal, so that the shortfall does not happen again.
You want your team to be a well performing unit, exceeding objectives. This is the best way you can diminish adverse situations. Being focused on excellence and driving productivity will build their confidence on the current job and prepare them to confidently answer interview questions for the next assignment.
Stand by your team as a strong role model who is authentic and committed to their development. This will enhance their performance loyalty and trust.
Stand with your team

It is critical to also stand with your team in skirmishes to drive market share. You have a history with them. Your relationships were strengthened in the trenches. You made sure they were informed about every major decision and the reasons for those decisions. You felt that if they were more informed about the intricacies involving the decisions, it would build trust in your leadership. Patrick Lynn Lencioni in his book, “Three signs of a miserable job,” speaks about each individual’s need to be known, to feel important and able to gauge their progress and level of contribution to the organization. When they feel connected, this has a positive influence on engagement and results.

If you stand with your team, your praise and proximity will indicate that you care about them and they are not just a means to an end. You value them as individuals and are committed to their success. You stand shoulder to shoulder with them in the day-to-day struggles in the marketplace. You are not afraid to roll up your sleeves and help them do the work. You are willing to ask them their opinions and implement their suggestions. Where there suggestions have merited, they are implemented and they are given the credit. They know that you are the boss, but you do not hesitate to show that you are so committed to getting the job done. This leading by example sends a powerful message.

When you stand with your team, you make sure that each individual knows their job and does their job. You are not a micro-manager. You are always open and committed to their development. You want them to be more efficient and effective and willing to offer suggestions to improve their performance while living up to their responsibilities.

Stand for your team

Thirdly, you should stand for your team. Be the proud representative or your team, department or organization. You are aware of the hard work they put into excelling on the job and you want to promote their excellence to anyone who will listen. You want to represent each member and the entire group to people who can have an influence on their career.
When you stand for your team, you openly and willingly engage in conversations about their talents, gifts and skills. You expose your team to knowledge, individuals and other resources that expand their experiences and expertise. Additionally, you are not timid about challenging them to higher levels of achievement. Your expectations are high, because you know they can do more.
There are times when your team will seem to take your performance personally. They want you to stand out among your peers when there is any competition. They watched with pride as you make a presentation on the agenda with other managers. You are their boss. You are representing the team and they are bursting with pride.

When you stand for your people you are loyal and not always looking to change teams for your personal benefit. You are committed to the productivity of the group. You select and develop a strong core of hard-working, ambitious people who crave recognition and rewards for their excellent performance. This strong core is being groomed to work as a team. They have the complementary skills necessary to exceed aggressive team objectives. They enjoy their jobs. They are fully engaged. They look forward to going into battle every day with everyone on their team. They are looking to you as their leader. They see you as their ally, an advocate against any adversary who stands in their path.
To maximize your effectiveness as a leader it is essential that you stand by your people, stand with your people and stand for your people. The results will be amazing and will enable everyone involved to reach levels of performance that are personally beneficial and a windfall to the team and the organization.

Copyright © 2014 Orlando Ceaser

Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer – lessons in handling differences

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We are often started with the commercialization of Christmas. We are reminded to not lose sight of the reason for the season. This is valuable advice for Christians and others during this reverent time of year.

We grew up with Gene Autry Christmas classic of Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer. It is a delightful song, but also delivers a powerful message about encountering and handling differences. This song could start meaningful conversations about accepting others.

The song begins with a reference to the reindeer popularized in Clement Clarke Moore’s, “The night before Christmas”, also known as “A visit from St. Nicholas.” It begins with a roll call of Santa Claus’ reindeer that of course omits the name of Rudolph. As you recall, Rudolph was different from the other reindeer because of the luminescent quality of his nose. His nose was so shiny that it had either reflective qualities or it glowed like a light. This was enough to make him the object of ridicule and ultimately ostracism by the other reindeer.

This lack of acceptance is seen when children and adults are confronted with someone who is different from them. Our initial response is to make fun of the person and then to isolate them because of their characteristics, traits, heredity or idiosyncrasies. Many of us recall when we were young and begged for approval. Even to this day, there is something about us that makes us stand out from the crowd and the crowd lets us know it.

At work or is school, simply being the new person, the new kid on the block, the person who is an unknown, becomes a source for teasing or isolation. We often wondered,” if they would only get to know me, they would see that I’m just like them. “Rudolph was a reindeer, so he surely had a similar appearance, except for his nasal peculiarity. But suppose he was of a different color, from a different region of the country or had a different ability. He would have manifested a difference that would have caused him difficulty until he was accepted. We usually ask the different party to fit in, when the real focus should be on them being accepted by the group.

Bullying is also a response shown toward those who are different. The song the does not indicate that Rudolph was bullied, but we can only assume that preventing him from “playing in any reindeer games” was not always accomplished in the most delicate manner.

The song does not tell us what Santa Claus was doing during the hazing or if he even knew about it. But, as a good leader, he engineered a very strategic response. He knew the talent and value of all of his reindeer. He evaluated the weather system for his next journey and realized he was going to encounter numerous blizzards. He knew that the solution to his problem existed among the ranks of his reindeer. He knew he had one reindeer that could help navigate the wintry delivery of toys to boys and girls around the world. This opportunity would be well received it if every reindeer benefited from his gift.

We can give Santa credit for waiting for the appropriate time to unveil strategy. He could have given the reindeer the opportunity to work it out amongst themselves, as so many people do in similar situations. They say such things as,” kids are just being kids, learning to navigate difficult situations will only make the recipient stronger and teach them valuable life skills and that which does not kill them will make them stronger, to paraphrase Friedrich Nietzsche the philosopher. Maybe the reindeer performed similar initiation rites to others in the group that had other distinctions from their peers. Maybe they solve their treatment of Rudolph as being harmless and natural.

The defining moment came,” one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say: Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?” Many managers, leaders and parents look for the opportune moment to use the skills of their people. The right moment to show the world and the individual, that they recognize their true value and wish to share this value with every member on the team. We can only assume that in the fictitious conversation, Santa’s encouraged Rudolph and told him about the value of his difference. He made him feel that he was something special and should never feel that he was not important and did not have a place. I’m sure he made him feel like an important member of the team. He validated his value by asking him to lead the team by moving up to the front of the line.

You remember the happy ending to the song. “Then all the reindeer loved him, as they shouted out with glee, Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, you’ll go down in history! We know that in real life, responses to differences may not always lead to a happy ending. Sometimes the individuals have lingering insecurity, damage to their self-esteem and underlying resentment from the initial exclusion. But, so often when the difference that is ridiculed or denied is used for the benefit of the group, the organization, institution, group or community becomes stronger. The people learn a valuable lesson about inclusion. We are hopeful that when the person is accepted they don’t become complicit and act in the same manner when they encounter other people who are different.

If we remember the Rudolph days of our lives and commit ourselves to prevent them from happening to others, we will maximize their future contributions to our teams, families, organizations and communities. We will perform a noble act when leading by example with the lessons learned from Rudolph the red nose reindeer.

Copyright © 2013 Orlando Ceaser

Close strong – When there’s time on the clock

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LeaderARCvr2
The year is rapidly coming to an end. You are closing the books, wrapping up your accounts and accessing progress against your goals. You may have mentally vaulted into next year. You may have a tendency to slow down and begin jogging to the finish line, after all it is December and the year is almost over. In some situations, packing it in prematurely may be a mistake.

The temptation to checkout early is present in people running long distance races. They approach the last stretch and decelerate. Whereas, coasting to the end is an option, you may still be leaving some business on the table. Take a few precious moments to look around and see if there are a few vital steps you can make to make a difference for this year or help in the future. Is it really impossible to close a deal, make a telephone call and perform a service for a client? These actions may enable you to favorably close out the year and set the foundation for a strong start in the next quarter.

As long as there is time left on the clock, you should move quickly to break the tape and not wind down to a halt. It is best to run through the tape to ensure that you keep momentum where it can do the most good. It is the beauty of the follow though. In baseball, when running to first base they suggest you run through the bag. In golf they suggest you swing through the ball for maximum results. Persistence is critical to give it all you can until the very end. Craig Groeschel, Founder and Senior Pastor of LifeChurch.tv, has a phrase that he uses, “If you are not dead, you are not done.” I suggest you keep this mind, as you sprint to the end of the year.

I was in a sales meeting a few years ago. We were looking for another way to remind the managers to work toward a strong finish, even though we tome left in the quarter. We made a list of the activities we could perform to close out the year. We asked the managers to encourage their representatives to do the following:

• Make one more call at the end of the day
• Contact their largest customers to get commitments
• Contact customers they may have missed on their last cycle
• Make courtesy calls to thank their customers for their business and support, even if it did not lead to an immediate sale

The managers also reviewed their responsibilities in holding everyone accountable.
One manager was aware of my book Leadership above the rim – the poetry of possibility. There was a poem entitled, “Time on the clock,” which was very appropriate for the moment. The poem Time left on the clock was read to the group. It was a nice way to close out the session and emphasize the power and possibility for high performance by having the right attitude to the end of the year.

I wish you a strong finish to the year and hopefully the poem, “Time on the clock,” will deliver a message that coincides with your belief in an excellent finish and a strong start to the next quarter in the New Year.

Time on the clock
When there is time left on the clock,
The cowards complain and cry foul;
The losers panic and throw in the towel,
But champions persist and hold their blocks,
For they know the score is tentative
Until the game is over, so they give
Everything, for ’til the final gun
There’s unfinished business,
Work to be done.

When there is time left on the clock,
The champions continue to play
Aggressively, to find a way
To anchor confidence so they can rock
The competition out of alignment,
As they execute their assignments.

When there is time left on the clock,
Champions cling to the fundamentals,
They stay in strategy, push potential
To higher levels intended to shock;
As warriors welded to their cause,
They are nourished by internal applause.

When there is time left on the clock,
Thoughts of surrender should be suspended;
Energy on hand should be expended,
Reserves should be exploited to unlock
The genius of skillfully fighting hard,
With valiant effort for the extra yard.

When there is time left on the clock,
You strive tenaciously, always take stock
In your motives for entering the game,
For pride, prestige or personal acclaim;
Though vanquished or victorious, heroes
Are those who fight to the end.
Zeroes on the clock is when the champions say
Is the acceptable time to walk away.

Copyright © 2003 Orlando Ceaser

http://www.watchwellinc.com

Reading to children can make you a better leader

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I was told of the benefits of reading to children. It would aid in their development, help them acquire a love for learning and strengthen the bond between parent and child. But I did not count on the collateral or ancillary advantages I would receive. Of course, I was excited and encouraged by the interaction and the way I was able to connect to my children. But, with each story, nursery rhyme or fable I began to associate their content with the people I managed in the workplace. Their content gave me new insights into executing my role as a leader.

When I returned to work I found that I began to incorporate some of the very language and concepts from the literature I read to my kids the night before. Aesop’s Fables were always good with life lessons. Androcles and the lion taught me the value of helping everyone no matter how small because you never knew when they could help you. The story was about a mouse who returned a favor by saving a lion that was caught in a hunter’s net. The Emperor’s new clothes by Hans Christian Andersen had many applications to corporate culture. The failure to speak to power brought on by fear and ego was a natural metaphor. The practice of using children literature to clarify leadership principles is widespread today with articles and books about the Goldilocks Leadership Style. There are books such as, The Oz Principle by Roger Connors, Tom Smith and Craig Hickman, and Our Emperor’s have no clothes by Alan Weiss and Emperor’s Clothes by Catherine Mc Guinness. They use the aforementioned classic as inspiration for their works.

Reading children stories make managerial principles fresh and exciting. Many people can relate to them and feel connected to the subject. It takes us back to our childhood and the rich and often forgotten lessons from our youth. I read the classic fable of the hare and the tortoise. I walked into work with a new perspective. The morale of the story is that “plodding wins the race,” emphasizing the value of persistence. But when I arrived at work, I placed a different spin on the classic story. I asked my managers, “Who would you rather be the hare or the tortoise?” After a light discussion, I announced that I would rather be a hare that did not sleep. In our fast paced world, a company could seldom afford to hire a large number of workers who always started and finished slowly. We needed people to get out of the starting blocks quickly, master the information around their jobs and get up the learning curve in record time. We needed speed merchants who were confident, with stamina and awareness of the danger of underestimating their competition and the needs of their customers.

Another principle that was reinforced was the idea of performing with a winning attitude, while may have involved faking it until making it was a reality. My daughter was nearly 3 years old and was at the swimming pool with my wife and her mother. She was reciting a book out loud. It was the book I read to her before bed. As she moved to the bottom of each page, she moved her eyes to the top of the next page or turned the page as appropriate. “The man was flabbergasted,” she said. A woman next to her was astonished by her apparent reading skills at such a young age. She did not realize that my daughter had merely memorized every word on every page in the book and turned the pages appropriately, on her way to learning how to read. As leaders we must sometimes show courage and strength in a positive outcome even when we are not 100% certain, until the result is achieved.

I found the following benefits from my bonding moments with my children that I used with my teams that had leadership implications.

1. I listened better because they gave me their undivided attention and asked questions. They wanted to know the why, the back story behind the story. This is similar to the teams we manage. People want to know the content and the context.
2. Children enjoy when you are enthusiastic when reading a story. I was animated and displayed passion in my delivery and interpretation of the story.
3. I had to adapt a reading style that brought each child into the moment. If one child was quiet and the other easily distracted, I had to individualize and customize my reading style, make stronger eye contact and gestures to ensure that both were engaged in the story.
4. I selected stories for them which were my favorites from childhood. This helped reinforce messages that I had forgotten. Some of the fairytales and nursery rhymes were originally written as political satire which helped explain the appeal to some adults. Looking for other ways to use the information helped broaden my perspective.
5. Reading taught me the value of play and including humor in my conversation and interactions with my children and my people.
6. The value of discipline and a set routine, along with the value of commitment to my promises by reading every night I was in town. If I was traveling out of town, I read to them over the telephone to keep my word. When there are challenges there are always ways to improvise to fulfill promises made on the important things in life.

We should look forward to reading to our children or to any children who could benefit from our time and attention. There are organizations such as Real Men Read which place adults in local schools to read to children. The men participating are receiving some of the same benefits I outlined above. The benefits are achieved whether you are reading to your children or any willing child sitting in front of you to hear your passionate delivery of a new book or a childhood classic

Additionally, we know that, “Children are born ready to learn and reading to them stimulates and satisfies their thirst for information. Children cultivate 85% of their intellect, personality and skills by age five. The first months and years of life set the stage for lifelong development,” according the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2000. Reading to them at an early age is a tremendous advantage for them. However, the returns to the adults are exceptionally stimulating. When we think of the input into the creative process that is triggered when we read and visualize the images; the reinforcement of key values and the lessons to help illustrate leadership principles, reading to children should be a consistent and mandatory part of our lives.

Copyright © 2013 Orlando Ceaser

Busted while looking for a new job

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How would your boss respond if he discovered you were looking for a new job? What would you do if you were busted and caught in the act? What would you say? What would you do? This thought may seldom come to mind, however, you may want to plan some witty comebacks in case you are discovered.

There are more people available then jobs. Many people are trapped in jobs that are below their expectations. Additionally, ambitious employees want to quickly climb the corporate ladder to success. So we find ourselves in a world where individuals are constantly changing jobs or looking to change jobs. People are eager to improve their economic status and to satisfy their egos. Job seekers are using the Internet and social media, along with the traditional job fairs and newspapers. With the heavy traffic of candidates and employers, the Law of Probability predicts your boss could detect your search for a new job.

We hired a manager to help us staff a new specialty sales force. He was waiting to interview one of his former colleagues, who did not know that he had jumped ship. The colleague was waiting to be interviewed. He did not know the name of the person he was supposed to see. He sat in the hall waiting his turn. The door opened and his former colleague stepped out to meet him. The look on his face was priceless, as his knees buckled. Immediately his former colleague placed him at ease by saying that he no longer worked for the same company. The colleague uttered a sigh of relief and said,” I’m afraid that I am going to have to change my underwear.” This made me wonder if it is wise to formulate a few words to share if someone discovered your plans to leave the organization.

Shortly after a merger, I surprised many of my new employees during a session on gratitude. We filled up several pages on a flip chart listing the many benefits of our new organization, which was very helpful for the audience. I wanted them to know that we have a tendency to look at the negative side of change. I also wanted them to remember these things when they received phone calls from recruiters. I reminded them that recruiters were salespeople. The unscrupulous ones were more concerned about placement than the right fit for their clients. I stunned them when I said, jokingly,” I know you are receiving phone calls from recruiters. If you are doing a great job people should be calling you. And when they call, some of you are interested. I know this to be true, because when I call posing as a recruiter, some of you are interested.” It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. A few of the new team members could be heard asking the person next to them,” Would he really do that?”

Everyone in the workplace is technically a free agent and free to move between companies at will. However, if you have indicated a desire to move up in an organization, they may not take kindly to you aggressively shopping your services. Developing a reputation of having a wandering eye could work against you unless you are a phenomenal performer. Companies may not always seem loyal, but loyalty is demanded of their employees. It is flattering for companies to know that someone else wants to hire you. They blush at the positive impact you have on your customers and the industry. If you take a risk and decide to follow up on their interest, think of a way to respond if you are caught.

A sales representative drove outside of his territory to attend a job interview. He entered an office building and waited for the elevator. The elevator doors opened and there stood his district and regional sales managers. Needless to say, they were surprised to see him and he was shocked to see them. The morale of the story is if you are discovered, be ready with a plausible explanation. Telling the truth about the hiring lead is highly recommended. This can lead you into a very candid conversation about your career. If you lied to make room for the interview, you may have complicated the matter by your lack of integrity. It is ideal to make room for an interview during a long lunch, before or after work or on a scheduled vacation day.

Discovery Advantages
Your willingness to consider another company sometimes it is an indication that something is lacking in your current relationship. It may also speak to the power of your brand that others are heavily recruiting you. There are benefits to the word getting out that you are looking for another job. They include, but are not limited to:
• Discovery may stimulate a serious discussion around your status with the firm
• Career opportunities may suddenly develop because the company feels that they may lose you
• Discovery may enable you to discuss your interest, ambition and lack of career opportunities

Earlier, I mentioned how the company would feel if they knew you were constantly looking for job. Many companies will understand this because of the current precarious state of employment. Some companies may not understand and may terminate you. Some companies may be reluctant to hire you if you are always on the market, trolling for better options.

I met a young man and he asked for my business card.” Are you hiring?” He wanted to know.” I am always looking for a better opportunity.” I wondered at that moment about his comment. He was impressive, but should I seriously consider him? If I hired him, would he maintain the same attitude and philosophy while working for me, always aggressively looking for something better? This takes me back to my central question. If you’re looking for another job and you are discovered,” What will you say?”

You might give the response that people often give when they resign. “I wasn’t looking for a job, but they called me.” Don’t be surprised if your employer is not satisfied with this response. It will not make them feel better to know that you did not initiate the process. A company may view this as disloyalty or as cheating in a relationship. Imagine saying to a companion, “Honey, I did not chase her or go after him first. They approached me. They made the first move and I just gauged their interest to see what they had to offer.”

We search for jobs on social media sites, job boards, career fairs and networking functions. Invariably, if you are active or pursue an opening once, there is the possibility that someone will find out. Discovery may not be due to carelessness on your part. Your profile may be seen by people who have connections with people within your organization. There are haters and informers in your company who wish to discredit you or make themselves look good by telling about your interest in a particular job. The fact remains, if you are looking for another job, it may be prudent to think of your response if your activity is exposed.

Copyright © 2013 Orlando Ceaser